The present invention relates to a casing bottom for a propelling charge. More particularly, the present invention relates to such a casing bottom which includes a base plate, in the form of a circular ring, which accommodates a centrally arranged primer sleeve in a form locking manner, preferably by way of a thread engagement.
Present-day tank ammunition is made of one piece. That is, such ammunition is composed of a propelling charge casing which is filled with a propelling charge and has a projectile body inserted therein. Both the casing and the projectile are loaded together. The propelling charge casing has a casing bottom that includes a base plate into which a sleeve or bushing can be screwed to accommodate a primer element. There is no way to unload the ammunition without first firing it.
As shown, for example, in DE-OS 3,701,713 corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,836,085, present development is toward two-part ammunition, that is, ammunition in which the projectile body and the propelling charge are provided in separate magazines and are loaded separately. Such ammunition also includes sub-caliber ammunition, such as kinetic energy penetrators.